the power to rule
by BourbonBabe526
Summary: Follow along for this exciting journey of the young rebellious soldier, Alexandra Lannon, who's world changes forever when she learns that she is The Chosen One: humanity's last hope to bring them out of darkness. ... Get ready for a step-by-step and near scene-by-scene breakdown with Alexandra (Alex), Clarence (Clair), and Willa (William). Eventual Fem!Alex/Michael Love Story.
1. And 3 Eight-Balls Makes 24

do·min·ion : _noun _: \də-ˈmi-nyən\ : the power to rule

* * *

Chapter One: And 3 Eight-Balls Makes 24

* * *

25 years ago GOD disappeared. HIS angels held man responsible and declared war on humanity. The archangel Gabriel led this war of extermination hoping to rid the world of humans and claim dominion over it. Some higher angels refused to take sides, but the lower angels joined Gabriel. These lesser spirits lacked bodies so their first line of attack was to steal ours, but Michael – the greatest of all archangels – chose to fight for man. With his help, the survivors struck back and built strongholds to defend themselves. Soon word spread of a baby Michael had saved; a child who would grow up to be mankind's savior. On the child's 25th birthday the true Savior would then emerge and be blessed with the knowledge and power needed to end the ruthless war. This chosen one would be known by the markings on its body – twisting tattoos revealing the way. Finally Gabriel and his army retreated and we were left with the realization: that not only are angels real, they are our most hated enemies.

* * *

Saturday, April 9th, 2044

Alexandra Lannon could never have foretold that the events that were about to unfold would change her life forever. The days to her passed uneventful enough, but that is the funny thing about life-altering moments: the day before your life changes feels just like any other day. This particular day, however, found Alex still safely nestled in her normal life, no matter how comical that might seem.

Alex was spending her day in an abandoned casino. Walking over filthy, overturned chairs, tables, and bits of rock she uncovered a busted up sports utility vehicle being concealed by a dusty, old, canvas cloth. Opening up the back hatch she took off her backpack and began removing various supplies and sorting them into their places in the back seat. Grabbing her automated firing weapon she was ready to return to the driver's seat and drive away when she heard noises in the distance.

'_Leave it…just leave it Alex,'_ she thought to herself. Going against her better judgment, though, she left her car, slamming the back hatch door shut and went through the maze of debris to investigate what she had heard. With her gun aimed and at the ready she cautiously trekked through the forgotten halls of the former gambling palace. Peeking around a corner with her flashlight illuminating the way she then found the source of the clatter from earlier.

"Shit!" Alex whispered, as she spotted three eight-balls surrounding a card-playing table. One was a slutty dressed female with a golden strapless brazier on, leaning against the bar; another, a large rough and tough male seated with a green army jacket on; lastly an oversized female with dark and dirty hair, a blue blouse, and more than ill-fitted pair of pants on behind the counter as if dealing out their little game. Alex backed away slowly so as not to draw attention to herself.

_*CRUNCH*_

'_Fuck me!'_ Alex internally berated as she realized she had stepped on a ditched drinking glass lying on the floor. The sound of the shattered glass beneath her foot was loud enough to rouse the attention of the three nearby eight-balls. They all turned to face her. The possessed man paused and stared his dark eyes deep into Alex's soul. It made Alex's skin crawl.

"Join us," the dealer called to her in a wheezy, disturbing voice that could haunt even a soldier's dreams. "We have an empty seat."

Alex didn't hesitate and shot the blonde stone dead with a kill shot strategically placed right between the eyes. The male forcefully left his chair to purposefully march towards Alex, while the large woman in the disgusting khaki pants chose to instead flip the entire table across the room with her incredible strength. She leapt across the deserted gambling hall and crawled along the wall to pursue the human who had just murdered their eight-ball companion.

Alex broke out into a run, turning her back on the hunters, pumping her legs forcefully so as to return to her military grade tank of a truck parked outside on the street in the bright, Arizona sunlight. Both eight-balls continued their pursuit as Alex drove away, turning to look through the back window and spotted the male eight-ball sprout wings. Pulling out of the parking lot and racing onto the main strip of highway leading back to Vega, Alex retrieved her walkie-talkie from its designated pouch on her person and called out for help.

"A. Lannon. Pass code two-two-seven-one. Open the gates!"

No reply.

"This is Alex Lannon. Pass code two-two-seven-one. Respond!" Alex looked back into the rearview mirror and could not see the female eight-ball anymore, but the winged fiend continued its pursuit. "A. Lannon. Pass code two-two-seven-one. I've got an angel in pursuit!"

Still nothing.

"My god, open the gates! Where the hell are you guys?" Alex wondered to herself that – yeah – maybe the guards would be pissed off at her the leaving, but that sure as hell wasn't reason enough to leave her high and dry. Alex pulled up her screen located on the dashboard to ensure a clean connection to the security headquarters beyond the city walls and sure enough there showed the radar, her car about to breach the set border, and her designation listed on the screen.

Alexandra Lannon. Security Access : 2-2-7-1. AA Corps. V2.

The male eight-ball caught up to Alex's truck and latched himself firmly onto the left side of the car. Rearing its fist back the angel broke the glass in on Alex, forcing her to lose control of the wheel. Alex raised her left arm to shield her eyes from the onslaught of shards now entering the van while her right hand reached to grab her handgun. She futilely raised it to blast the creature away from the remains of the shattered window, but the angel had already forced half of its torso through the hole and knocked the weapon from her hand. The eight-ball's super-strength allowed him to easily overpower Alex and with no hands on the wheel the car swerved and popped over the median onto the other side of the road.

'_Be cool, Alex. Think yourself out of this one,'_ she reminded herself, trying to remember her training. With her right hand free of the gun – for better or for worse – she wound up and socked the beast clean on the nose. It hurt like hell, but caused the angel to become disoriented and lose its grasp.

"Ha ha!" Alex exclaimed out loud. Now having no grip on the locked, outer door handle the eight-ball whipped itself forward onto the hood of the car with the aid of its massive wingspan. "Great! Now I can't see."

Alex gripped the wheel and righted the vehicle to keep from running off the road, and stretched her arm out to grab the speaker phone wired into the dashboard and called out for help this time on the CB radio channel.

"A! Lannon! Pass code: Two Two Sev – " Alex couldn't finish because the eight-ball had broken through the front windshield, extending its long barbed tongue through the shattered glass to attack Alex's face. "Eww! What the fuck?"

Alex would have to find out later that the barbs had left their fair share of cuts on her face, but for the time being she firmly placed both hands on the steering wheel and tried to shake the abomination from the hood. Whipping the car both left and right she was running out of ideas and stretches of road leading into the city of Vega. The eight-ball cocked its head back and spat on Alex nailing her on the side of her eye.

"Alright! Enough of this shit," Alex exclaimed and reached behind her for the safety belt, drew it across her body, fit it into the latch, and slammed her foot clear to the metal floor of the car. The vehicle accelerated forward beyond its usual speed, lurching along the road, slicing through the hot, thick air of the desert. Although she secretly loved the thrill of the speed, Alex knew she must be getting close to the wall. The excitement of the ride reminded her of her former, reckless driving days when she would find rare happiness in her life by just driving around in the abandoned neighborhoods of the previously glorious city of Las Vegas.

Adjusting her foothold on the pedal, Alex slammed her left foot onto the brake the exact moment she lifted her right and the car skidded to a halt. She had successfully shaken the eight-ball loose from the hood and he flew backwards crashing into the massive steel wall. Alex could have sworn she heard a sickening crunch as the angel's full weight landed against its right wing. The eight-ball made eye contact with her for the second time that day and Alex saw something in his eyes that she couldn't quite identify. It wasn't quite fear, and it wasn't quite anger. It almost seemed like desire, but desire for what?

Just as soon as the moment came it was gone and the angel tried to pull itself out of its disorientation and start to fly upward, despite its wonky fly pattern courtesy of the damaged wing. While the creature reached for safety in the sky Alex retrieved her old double-a-twelve automatic shotgun she kept hidden under the passenger side seat and crawled through the busted forward facing windshield. Turning onto her back, Alex squinted in the blazing sun, closed one eye, raised the firearm, and released hellfire on the damned creature hoping that she would successfully blast the shit out of it.

Alex could almost hear the blood splat – although it might have just been her imagination – as the ammunition lodged itself home in the various parts of the eight-ball's body and like an unholy baby being sent to earth from an evil stork the angel fell out of the sky. Alex couldn't have found the time to rejoice even if she wanted to because the body was then plummeting right for her and where she lay. She rolled off of the hood onto the dusty ground just in time to hear the disgusting cracking of bone and sizzle of flesh as it landed onto the overheated metal of the car.

Not taking any chances Alex lifted her gun and fired another ten rounds or so of the gun's firing stock directly into the chest and forehead of the eight-ball. Once satisfied with her work Alex grabbed the eight-ball by the collar, hoisting it from the hood down onto the hot, sun-beaten ground where it fell into a pathetic crumple of wasted blood, guts, and sweat. Kicking the corpse over with her boot to roll the angel flat out Alex bent over the torso to examine her handiwork and spat a thick mucus-filled lugie square into the black eye of the eight-ball, skipping over that other one seeing as how it had a bullet lodged into the cavity.

"Hmm… Did better than I thought," Alex rewarded herself, turning around at the sound of the massive steel door opening. Soldiers with guns high at the ready carefully stepped out onto the desert floor and made their way towards Alex. "Aw, thank guys, but I already got him."

Alex sniggered at her own joke, slapping the back of the nearest guard and then reached through the busted driver's side window, pulled the lock up, and returned to the driver's seat. Replacing the AA-12 back under the passenger side seat she applied some pressure to the pedal and drove the Humvee slowly through the massive door's entrance watching as the somewhat shocked soldiers who remained in her way backed up to clear a path for the vehicle. It was then that she realized she had probably done a pretty bang-up job to the transmission with that little stunt of hers from earlier. That wouldn't win her any points with the mechanic who would have to log some overtime to fix that mess.

Once fully inside the gates the alarms signaling the closing of the door behind her seemed louder than ever. She could hear the female, computer-generated, lifeless voice announce over the intercom, "Now entering Security Zone 5. Now entering Security Zone 5." With the massive thud the metal gates met concrete behind her and the alarms ceased. Alex was then ripped out of the truck and brought to a standing position in front of multiple guards in sets of faded green uniforms, unlike the dusty blue of her own apparel.

"Alright already; easy, easy," Alex coaxed to the security team now manhandling her. "Yeah, okay, I got it!" Alex was then forced up against the car. She reached out her palms forward to keep her face from being bashed into the side of the vehicle as she felt a cool tickle of a bent, black rod be forced around the back half of her neck. Oh, how she hated things or people touching her neck.

The device beeped finding her heat signal and pulse sufficient when she was then brought to face a new mechanical contraption that was being held by a cute soldier about six inches taller than herself. He slowly lowered the screen over her face as the red scanning line, that reminded her of the barcode scans she would place hands over in supermarkets when she was small to keep the item from being registered, crossed her forehead and further down towards her neck. "If you want to know what color my eyes are big boy, just ask," Alex jested with a wink, thus causing the device to angrily beep, not receiving the intended reading. The guard behind Alex shook her up, reprimanding her with a soft explicative and a rather rude request for her to shut-up, but Alex could've sworn the man in front of her cracked just a hint of a smile.

To ensure a clean reading this time – because if it wasn't clean the second time, Alex didn't want to think of what those guns could do to her, much like her gun did to the earlier 8-ball – Alex stood up straight and widened her eyes just slightly as the device announced "Possession Negative" and powered itself down. The cute soldier walked back to his post as Alex heard a man's irritated voice call to her, "Lannon!"

'_Oh shit, not this prick again,'_ Alex hoped to herself, coming face to face with one of the head security generals, Alistair Black.

"What the hell were you doing outside of the city without authorization?" Black spat at her.

"It was two for one buffet night at the Flamingo and I just couldn't resist." Alistair grabbed at the collar of her uniform as the gruff soldier behind her not-too-kindly kicked the curve of her left knee in, causing her to sink a few inches and become off-balance. "What do you think I was doing?" Alex asked incredulously. "You saw the eight-ball I just shot down. And that wasn't the only one; there was a whole pack of them out there. We need to tell Riesen."

"No," Black thought to himself for a moment. "Take her to the Archangel. She's one of his soldiers. I'll report to Riesen."

"But, sir, all of the vehicles are out on patrol right now preparing for the Helena arrivals tomorrow and the earliest won't be back until midnight," the soldier who had just kicked Alex complained.

"Take this junker then," Black commanded nodding towards the overheated armored car. Alex laughed to herself and smirked at the ground. "Something funny, Lannon?"

"No, nothing funny at all, sir, if you intend on pushing this bunch of bolts all the way to the AA headquarters downtown," Alex shot back. The way she saw it: she was already in trouble and it's not like this prick could do anything to add to her suffering.

"Hmm, well lucky for you then, we have a lovely little holding cell we can stick you in until a more accommodating luxury car can arrive for you," Black said over his shoulder already on his way out.

"Oh man!" Alex grumbled aloud to anyone who would listen. Maybe she was wrong and this jerk could add to her suffering, but it didn't matter seeing as how she was already being led away.

* * *

The Stratosphere Hotel and Casino may not have been making money for decades, or really be doing any human in the city much good other than serving as a great landmark for trying to get somewhere in the city of Vega, but to the Archangel Michael is was his fortress and home base in a confusingly and trying time. Michael existed high above the streets of Vega lording over its citizens like a god, although whether or not he actually thought of himself as such changed from citizen to citizen. He stood at the widest edge of the building high in the sky and stared out on the dark night sky and reflected on his actions as he so often did.

His luxurious room had just served as a love nest for a number of women, but there was only one whose name he cared or bothered to remember. The Senator Becca Thorn insisted that these nights were not orgies seeing as how every woman in that room existed only to serve Michael and his needs alone. The focus was always on him, and with the intensity he held and applied to everything he did, it almost became more of an adventure in voyeurism for the women involved once they were of no more use to Michael. To Becca, the term orgy seemed to leave room that if you were not taking part in the main event you could create your own event, but that was never the case in Michael's bed. All archangel, all the time and once you were done you slept it off.

Michael never took the time to try and see things from the perspective of the women whose names he never bothered to learn, though. Even if Becca may have liked to think of herself higher above the other women when it came to loving Michael and assessing his needs it would break her heart to learn the truth. Beyond her usefulness in the Senate, Becca could just have as well been a face in the crowd, or should he say, in his bed.

That night after the ruckus events of moaning and near constant fluid mixture on the now filthy sheets Michael was feeling more bored, and therefore, confused by his feelings than ever. Michael questioned if he had now been treating himself too much to human desires and would soon start to actual worry for the girls in his bed's feelings like humans did. He would typically find the thought laughable if it hadn't kept popping into his head.

Michael's heightened senses alerted him the sound of a woman in his bed who just took a deep, irregular breath when compared to those of her sleeping companions. He could hear her rise and retie the silk belt of her robe as she walked toward him. Softly padding over to pick up Michael's robe as well she dared approach the archangel.

"You were a naughty boy tonight."

Oh, how Michael secretly detested Becca's need to belittle him or "dirty talk" as she so called it. Due to his recent thoughts, though, he was actually thinking about how he was making his mates feel so he kept his would-be admonishment to himself.

"You shouldn't indulge me." Becca placed a light kiss on his bare shoulder, in near irony. It was almost as if she hoped she could break down Michael's emotional barriers with gentle caresses and whispers. Then maybe, just maybe, he would love her in his bed with the kindness she so desperately yearned for rather than the rushed, hard fucks Michael bestowed on her – not that she would ever want anyone to know that.

"These evening would be much more enjoyable if you didn't hate yourself after," Becca reminded him for umpteenth time, reaching around and placing Michael's robe on him.

"Any risk, no matter how small, that I might have children is a risk too great to take," Michael replied in his usual unreadable tone. Becca took the cool tone as a needle prick to the heart. If she couldn't show him by example just how she wanted to be treated – golden rule and all that – she would take the approach that appeased the senator inside of herself.

"Would it be such a bad thing? Vega needs children," and it was with that comment that Michael was no longer confused. This was why he didn't bother with empathy. He clearly could not sire children at this time and anyone who entertained that notion didn't see Michael for what he truly was.

"Not children like that," Michael answered. To be honest the word "stupid" came to his mind but he kept it exactly there: in his mind. It would hurt the senator's feelings, and though Michael now resolved to not waste his precious time worrying about what she felt, he knew enough of the human nature to realize that would be rude. "This has to stop."

"Then stop," Becca challenged.

Unfortunately for Becca that no-nonsense, take-it-or-leave-it, I'm-in-charge attitude had the exact opposite effect she had hoped. While her statement appeased her inner Alpha female, it did nothing to help her emotional state seeing as how Michael calmly stepped right off of the widest edge of the tower, sprouted wings, and flew away. As Michael fled the room and all of the emotions that were pent up within it he realized he was glad to be free of his previous dilemma.

* * *

Hours later the security vehicle containing a very tired Alex drove down a night-time, uninhabited street of Vega, while a walkie-talkie giving off various communications between soldiers and static was stuck up on the dashboard via Velcro. She had to wait in a stupid cell for the rest of the day until the security soldiers could round up a Humvee that had been out on border patrol to come back so that she could be escorted downtown. She didn't see the point why, though. She would just be sitting in a cell, to then be transferred to an armored car that would then deliver her to another empty room. She zoned out, eyes seemingly staring into the back of the headrest of the seat in front of her. Without losing her focus she reached up, pulled out her hair-tie, and scratched her scalp momentarily, only to place her hair back in a ponytail at the exact same spot on her head, simply looser.

The car then took a turn and just like that there were people anywhere and everywhere along the makeshift sidewalk of the uneven street. Alex was pulled from her reverie when she heard a deep voice announcing through a bullhorn speaker, "Market Access and streets beyond this point are reserved for V4 and above." She looked out the window at all of the people in their varying levels of poverty and destitution squeezed in between the street vendors and stalls along the path.

As the car rolled along Alex leaned her cheek against the cool surface of the window and glanced up at a massive four-sided screen sitting atop a tower in the distance advertising the annual Vega Jubilee.

**A Regal Jubilee, only at the Whele Arena, Don't miss it!**

That screen and its message then faded to black as a new script took place on the screen in an elegant gold script.

**Our Savior is Coming**

The security vehicle rolled along as Alex turned her gaze back down to the underprivileged persons milling about the V3 authorized street. Alex rolled her eyes and humorlessly laughed to herself. She decided she'd rather close her eyes and block out the sad sight in front of her, than have it watch it any longer. The car then came to a halt causing Alex to lightly bump her head against the glass. She stared at the spot and saw the grease and grime her cheek left on the window and hoped that she could get a shower sometime soon. Alex's attention was called forward as the driver moaned at the hold up in front of the truck.

"Ugh! This city is going to hell," he complained.

"What's that?" Alex questioned the driver as she leaned forward to try and see what he was seeing. The driver huffed as a few young men with backpacks strapped to their backs were helping their fallen friend up and quickly returned to running from the authorities around the truck and back towards the street that the van had just turned from. A taser-gun shot out a live charge towards one the of assailants who then fell to the ground, shocked from the jolt, as the remaining two hooded figures and man who just fell looked pitifully at their fallen comrade. They then forced themselves to continue their dash towards the far street.

"Fuckin' V1's tryin' to get to streets they ain't supposed to be!" The driver then laughed at his own brilliant insight. "Probably stole some shit and now they're goin' back for more."

"Or maybe they are just trying to find a place they will feel safe for the night." Alex was insulted by the green uniform's ignorant comment. Being a former V1 Alex remembered just how hard it was for those who weren't fortunate enough to have a permanent place of residence. Those forced to exist in the tent cities and tunnels in Vega. Hell, half of the homes along the seemingly unpopulated street the security van had just turned off of were uninhabited, and while stealing wasn't uncommon among lower V levels, Alex could sympathize with those who just wanted to rest there for the night. Alex's thoughts drifted to that stupid building, "The Stratosphere" that was absolutely filled with rooms not being put to good use. What upset Alex the most was that if those spaces were actually put to some sort of good use it would at least lessen the glaring insensitivity of Vega's government, because it wasn't like the city offered these people a way to take care of themselves or anything.

The driver just gruffed out a lame, "whatever," and the car resumed motion. Winding through a few more streets the van then passed the tower that held the four sided screen and Alex came back into reality seeing that she had been brought to one of the buildings in the very heart of Vega. The AAH: Arch Angel Headquarters.

* * *

"Exiting the city with a vehicle is a high-line offense. You'll get purged out of the Arch Angel's Service for this." The interrogator staring down Alex was Master Sergeant Aaron R. B. Barry – also known as the ARBB (the Ass-wipe Ranked Below Bastard). He slammed his fist holding a whip down on the metal table that Alex was now sitting flush against on the other side. "Consider this your demotion to V0. You're going to be an untouchable."

"Yeah? Well its better than making a home in Michael's ass to be a V3 like you," Alex countered.

"That's V4 to you, ass-wipe." The ARBB came around to the other side of the table while Alex smirked to herself thinking that the Master Sergeant had it the other way around. Barry shoved his bootonto one of the back legs of the chair shifting Alex to an angle and then slipped in between the table and the new space created and then practically straddled her left thigh to get in her face. Alex found his breath horrendous. "So how did you do it, huh? Reprogram one of the gates? Hack the surveillance?"

Alex put on her best shit-eating grin to egg the bastard on further when out of the corner of her eye she saw a shadowy figure appear behind Barry. The ARBB followed Alex's gaze and turned around to see the Archangel Michael had joined them. Alex wondered what on earth Michael was doing up at this time of night, but she knew that warranting a visit from the archangel himself meant that she was in deep shit. Removing himself from Alex's personal space, Barry went to leave the room until Michael called to stop him.

"Wait," Michael commanded and Alex held her breath. "Leave the whip."

Alex then huffed in frustration. '_Welp… there goes my last hope for some "gender-appropriate" punishment__,'_ Alex thought to herself. Not that she'd want it. She had worked too damn hard to be just as good as every other man out there sporting a blue uniform and she would be damned if Michael didn't intend to pass judgment on her regardless of her sex.

"You know the rules and why they exist." Michael moved around to the opposite side of the table, a few paces back, placing the whip behind his back and clasping that wrist with his free hand.

'_Ever the professional,'_ Alex thought seeing the practiced manners he was known to have around humans exhibited right in front of her.

"Everything has a purpose here in Vega. It is how the city survives," Michael continued. "Founding Law: 'For the protection and good of all the gates are inviolable'."

"I have a right to leave the city. We all do."

"No. You don't." Something about the way Michael emphasized "you" made Alex look up to meet his gaze. Michael held it for a moment and stepped a foot closer to the table and continued, while Alex pulled her chair back up to the table so that her chest was flush against the cool metal again. "Tell me about the angels."

"There were three of them. All eight-balls. But something about them was different." Alex could swear that she felt Michael's gaze somehow intensify upon her skull. She looked up from her now clasped hands on the flat surface and continued. "One of them could change their form. A soldier. He sprouted wings."

Michael's expression was unreadable. "Where were they?"

"A few miles down the strip," Alex replied.

"What were they doing?"

"Playing 'Texas-Hold-'Em'," Alex plainly stated. Michael looked at her as if maybe this was one of those human jokes that his angel sense of humor couldn't quite get. Alex took pity on him and raised her eyebrows in earnest. "Not kidding."

"And what were you doing out there?"

"I was…" and then Alex just lowered her head. '_I don't have to explain myself to this holier-than-thou winged tyrant.' _

"You know the punishment for going outside the city's walls," Michael reminded.

"What? Am I going to be purged?"

"No. You're a member of the archangel corps. But if you ever do anything like this again, I won't spare you. Do you understand?" Alex heard the lashes of the whip fall from Michael's hand leaving only the handle remaining in his grip. "Stand up."

Alex arose from her chair and lifted her leg behind her until she felt the arch of her foot fall onto the edge of the seat and pushed it back. She replaced her foot back on the floor and took a slightly wide stance as if she were ready to do everything from dance to run away. Alex steeled her hands underneath the edge of the table she found out was nailed to the floor earlier. Gripping it tight and looking down at the insides of her wrists she took a cleansing, deep breath and prepared to let the whip fall on her back….

One lash and a grunt swallowed by Alex. Another lash and Alex refused to let the sound fall from her lips. A third lash with far more force fell upon her back. '_That will leave a pretty shitty mark,' _Alex thought as she desperately reached for her sense of humor to help her through this experience. A fourth and fifth lashing fell onto Alex's back but still Alex refused to let Michael hear her cries. She was getting ready to take another deep breath when a voice from the back of the room broke her concentration.

"I think that is enough, Michael. I imagine she has learned her lesson."

'_What the fuck was General Riesen doing here?!'_Alex demanded information of herself that she just could not provide. Her sense of time told her that it must be at least 2 in the morning. '_I've skipped out over the wall before, so why is this time so different?' _Nothing was computing.

Alex heard the heavy footfalls of General Riesen approach and she looked up at him. "Right, my girl?" to which Alex silently shook her head ever so slightly and the general continued. "Tell no one of what you saw. Not a single word about the eight-balls to anyone."

Alex went to inhale deeply, but instead it came out as some sort of gasp. '_Since when was I holding my breath?' _

"Now go report for duty," General Riesen commanded.

Alex straightened up and left the room. Alex heard Michael mumble something to the General that she couldn't quite make out, but as she was just a few paces outside of the room Michael called to her from the doorway.

"Oh, and Alex…"

"What?"

"Happy Birthday. It's tomorrow, right?"

"Uh, yeah. My 25th. How'd y – " but Alex cut herself off. Alex could not have been more confused in her life than she was in that moment. Even more confused than that time she tried to teach herself chemistry out of an old high school textbook she found in an abandoned home on one of her scavenges. Just like then, not a single thing was making sense. Michael nodded curtly in Alex's direction and went back into the room containing the general where he then slammed the door behind himself with his oversized boot. Alex stood there dumbstruck and eventually found her feet slowly leading her away from the secret meeting Michael and General Riesen were now conducting.

"She shouldn't be outside the walls. The ruins are too dangerous." Michael demanded.

"She has been sneaking outside of the walls since she was a little girl. She knows Vega better than anyone."

"She needs to be disciplined," Michael insisted, his voice gaining strength.

"Perhaps, but after what she did for Clare I owe her," General Riesen explained.

"The eight-ball came right up to the gate. They're back," and with that comment the room was plunged into silence as understanding passed between the two men.

* * *

***Author's Note*  
**I plan to write this story in accordance with the scenes that take place within the already existing episodes and continue my story from where new, different, or altered characters are present.


	2. Stories, Secrets, and Sleep

do·min·ion : noun : \də-ˈmi-nyən\ : the power to rule

* * *

Chapter Two: Stories, Secrets, and Sleep

* * *

Alex's last hope for the shower she so desperately craved went out the window when her belongings were returned to her by the ARBB waiting for her at the end of the hall. She suited back up to go report for duty and actively ignored Master Sergeant Barry who made some stupid sexist comment after Alex winced once the breastplate was fastened to her back, a familiar weight now irritating her raw back. _'What an idiot,'_ she thought. '_Anyone would be sore after a whipping!'_

She was so mad at herself; not for leaving the gates of the city, but for getting caught. A catching that wasn't even her fault, but rather those stupid eight-balls! Alex walked at an even pace once she left the Archangel Corps Headquarters and trekked over to the House Riesen Palace. At least she was already in the center of town and didn't have that far to go. Glancing over at the tower holding up the four sided screen Alex saw the time and was ripped out of her little world of confused thoughts. It was nearly 3:00 AM and Alex should have reported to her post hours ago!

Picking up the pace Alex hurried over to the former hotel that was now the residence of General Riesen – as in THE General Riesen. The General Riesen who led the human resistance in the battles waged all over the former U.S. of A. In addition to a variety of war rooms and makeshift museums in the lower levels it also served as the home of Clarence Riesen: General William Riesen's son. The most eligible bachelor of Vega and the soon-to-be-Lord of the City, or that was the plan anyway. Clarence wasn't nearly as pretentious as his public image made him out to be. In fact he detested his full name and insisted on everyone calling him Clare.

Hurrying through the lobby Alex reached the elevators and rode the decorated and polished cart up many floors before she reached the levels reserved for the Riesen home. She exited the doors and rushed over to the hallway containing Clare's bedroom. Once there, Alex saw another soldier of the Archangel Corps in an identical blue uniform slumped over against the wall clearly fighting fatigue. Snapping to attention at the sound of a pair of boots marching across the polished floor the dark-skinned soldier looked over and saw Alex and allowed his face to be taken over by a look of sheer annoyance.

"You're late," the tired soldier simply stated.

"Yeah sorry, Rossi. I got held up," Alex evaded.

"For three hours? You know I can't leave until another blue comes to relieve me. This might sound crazy to you, but I actually wanted to get some sleep before the Jubilee tomorrow."

"I said I was sorry," Alex reminded Rossi. He scoffed at her apology.

"Asshole."

"You're an asshole. I'm here now. I really am sorry."

"So…" Rossi started. "What were you doing?"

"Nothing," Alex said feigning nonchalance.

"Oh, really?" Rossi pushed on with disbelief tinting his voice. "Do you think that maybe Master Sergeant Barry would be interested in hearing about you missing your shift because you busy doing nothing?"

"Ha ha!" Alex laughed mirthlessly. "Go ahead. Tell him! I don't care."

"Whoa; calm down, now. Look I'll make you deal. I get that fancy, little music player of yours and four discs of my choosing, and I won't say a thing to the asswipe." Rossi raised his eyebrows giving Alex a predatory smile as if he was doing her a favor. "So what do you say? Deal?"

"No deal," Alex answered back. Rossi was clearly very used to getting things he wanted through intimidation but underneath Alex knew he was no more than an insecure boy scared of ever having to return to his V-1 roots, much like Alex. "Hey man, weren't you just saying you were tired?" And with that Rossi grumbled and stalked off towards the elevators happy to be free of his duties for the night. All Alex could do was smile to herself, because while she enjoyed having won that little battle of wits she knew that Rossi wasn't too bad of a guy and that they probably had more in common than he realized.

Alex stood up against the wall taking her spot to guard the room throughout the night. She gave herself some time and diligently checked up and down the hall to make sure no other wait staff would walk by any time soon before sneaking into Clare's bedroom. She walked over and saw that he was asleep. Walking over to the far side of the room overlooking a private pool and beyond that the city of Vega Alex started checking the windows for weaknesses and ensured they were locked. She searched anything and everything she could find in the room that might be dangerous or out of place. She thoroughly studied his closet, looked under the bed, and even inspected the drawers of his vanity and desk as quietly as she could.

It would be easy to misconstrue that Alex was snooping through the young man's things, but it actually was a common practice Clare was used to everyday. The other soldiers just weren't as thorough as Alex. When she inspected his room during daylight hours she had to do so with both Clare and another soldier observing the room. It was a rule in Vega that no upper level male was to be left alone in a room with a female guard after a mysterious pregnancy had taken place about six years earlier. The rule – although a formality more than anything – still stood for upper level females as well, however that usually merited two or three body guards just to be on the safe side. Alex was about to go back outside – satisfied with the security of the space – when she noticed a letter folded up and sitting on Clare's bedside. It had a large "A" written on it in and knew it was for her. She picked it up and read,

_Alex,_

_If you are reading this then I am probably asleep. Where are you? You never miss your security shift… especially the ones at night. _

Alex noticed a small animation drawn on the page next to the first few lines of the letter that formed a winking face and a big smile.

_Rossi had to do my bedroom check and did a shit job. I know now that I must have known you for too long because I noticed he didn't check "all points of vulnerability" as you always like to put it. All he did was knock on the windows and glance behind the door. What an idiot?_

She smiled to herself at that, already able to imagine Clare's rich, honey-like voice reading the note to her in her mind.

_I know something serious must be going on for you to not be here so just know that I love you and I hope that you aren't in too much trouble. Fair warning, though: If I don't see you before the Jubilee I WILL go start asking questions about where you are, suspicion be damned. Because I promise you that I WILL be seeing you on your birthday. I can't wait to give you your present. I love you with all of my heart._

_Yours,_

_Clare_

_P.S.: If you are reading this and I am lying right next to you, you had better wake my ass up. I haven't kissed you today._

Alex folded the letter and went to put it in her pocket when she realized that she probably better not have anything incriminating on her person that would suggest or link her to an inappropriate relationship with the General of Vega's only son. She considered waking him up but decided against it. The letter was so sweet and she knew that he probably exhausted himself trying to stay awake waiting for her like a small boy waiting up for the mythical Santa Claus on Christmas Eve – a holiday she hadn't celebrated or even thought of ever since she was a little girl. Alex reasoned that she was lucky he was even asleep at all. She told herself she'd surprise him when he woke up and placed the letter back on the side table where she found it.

* * *

Clare Riesen woke up the next morning and saw the letter hadn't moved and then quickly noticed the clock it was wedged underneath read 7:30 AM. He got out of bed and rushed to the door. He had to hurry because he needed to be in his classroom in a half hour. It was Jubilee Day so there wouldn't be any services that day, but Clare had agreed to teach a short class since his students had insisted they didn't want to miss a lesson with their favorite teacher. Clare had showered the night before – unlike his usual routine – trying to kill time while he waited on Alex to show up for her shift. Thinking about it, he really didn't have THAT much to do in order to be ready. In fact, Clare rarely obsessed over his appearance. He did realize, though, that he was about to traipse down the hall in nothing more than a pair of boxers and that might have been even more devil-may-care than Clare was used to.

He hurried over to a chest of drawers, wrenched open a drawer, pulled out a t-shirt and loose fitting pair of pants, and threw them on. Fully dressed, Clare walked over his French double door and pulled one of them open peeking out in the hallways. Clare looked to his right and saw Alex playing with a piece of paper that she had folded over and over in her hands. His eyes wandered down to the floor and sure enough there were at least a dozen similarly folded bits of paper transfigured into various shapes. Clare opened his mouth to grab her attention when a house servant called to him.

"Ahh, Mr. Riesen, you're up." Alex whipped her head around at the announcement and saw Clare leaning against his doorframe bathed in sunlight looking like gorgeous sin itself. He swaggered forward one step into the hallway when their eyes met. She gave him a small smile and the maid continued. "I need to change your sheets and Felicia has your breakfast ready. She'd like to know if you'd like it on a tray and brought to your room."

Clare's brain wasn't working yet, partially because of his sleep deprived state and partially because all he could think of was Alex and getting her alone to talk to her. Clare stood there and didn't even realize he hadn't answered the house servant. He was completely distracted by Alex who gently met his eyes and smiled at him. The maid standing in the hallway behind Alex inquired when she didn't a response. "Sir?"

Alex raised her eyebrows and cocked her head back ever so slightly to indicate the housekeeper whom he hadn't answered yet. Clare then broke his gaze and looked over Alex's shoulder. "Uh yeah, sorry. What?"

"Your breakfast sir. Would you like it served in your room?"

"Uh, yes please. Thank you."

"Of course, sir. I was also told to remind you that your security detail will be here soon to escort you to the church."

"Thank you."

"And I'll be back in a moment to collect your dirty things."

"I understand. Thank you." Alex couldn't see the maid's face but imagined it was probably fawning over Clare's, wanting to milk out every moment she had looking at the handsome face in front of her. Clare wasn't as amused, however. And with one last hum the woman was off down the hall. The couple watched as she left them, turning back to look at Clare again and Alex's guess was confirmed, seeing a dreamy look consuming her whole face. Once she finally cleared the corner Clare reached out to grasp Alex's hand and tugged his personal bodyguard into the room.

"Clare, no, I can't." Clare gently warned.

"How long ago did you get here?"

"Not that long, bu-"

"Good morning Clare. I've brought your breakfast," said a voice from further down the hall where the previous maid had just disappeared. The head of the wait staff for House Riesen, announced her presence so loud that Alex actually let out a light squeak as she jumped apart from Clare. The blonde woman was holding a tray and walked right in the bedroom, leaving the polished silver platter on Clare's desk, placed along the far wall. Walking back towards the door, the servant from earlier came back just like promised and open the second French side door and set it to stay open.

"I have your Collarino, here for you sir," her voice dripping with sugar. Once she saw Clare wasn't paying her any attention she got straight to work on stripping the bed. The maid eyed the folded letter stuck under the clock but didn't dare reach for it. With both doors now opened Alex moved from her spot in the hall to stand at attention in the doorframe, observing Clare and his room from her closer perch. Clare, then accepting that he wouldn't have a moment alone with Alex, went over to his tray and picked up the apple sitting there and took a massive bite into it, as yet another person entered the room.

"Ah, Clarence, wonderful you are awake. Now there are plenty of things that need to happen before the Jubilee today, and I really must insist that you not go to chapel today. You have a final fitting for your suit for tonight – quite dashing if I do say so myself. We need to get you in for a haircut, and you also have to –"

"Jared I appreciate your tireless service to my schedule, but there is nothing you can say that will change my mind. I promised my students I'd give them a lesson today and that is just what I'm going to do." The first maid left the room with a handful of sheets from the bed and the blonde followed close behind. "Felicia, hold up. Would you mind bringing me another apple and some of those biscuits I love so much?"

"Absolutely," and with a smile she left as well.

"Now what with the arrival of the delegation from Helena I suggest you take the opportunity to go speak to Arika and get some practice interacting with foreign dignitaries, before David Whele takes up all of her time. I'm sure that'd please your father just fine and – " Jared then turned to his head to notice Alex standing in the doorway "-and… Yes. Thank you; that will be all!" Jared said speaking up in Alex's direction as if she was hard of hearing or mentally deficient.

"Excuse me?" Alex questioned.

"The principate and I have matters to discuss that do not require the prying ears of a V-2 like you."

"Jared, please! Besides I need my security guard. In fact – " Clare paused as a light went off in his eyes " – would you mind doing me a favor Jared?" Clare turned his attention to Alex. "What is name soldier?"

"Alex Lannon, sir."

"Lannon, that's right. Jared, Miss Lannon was late for her security shift last night, and I would like for you to see to it that she is added to the detail escorting me through the city today to make up for the missing time."

"Of course, Clare. I'll get right on that and leave you to get dressed." Jared ushered Alex back into the hallway, left the room, and walked down the hall, but not before he could throw shady eyes towards Alex. Not that Alex really blamed Jared. He was only looking out for Clare's well-being much like herself, except Jared's job tended having to beat away girls with a stick, any one of them ready to take advantage of the most eligible bachelor in the city.

Alex stood there at attention when the blonde maid from before returned with a small dish holding three biscuits and another apple. She was preparing to open the door when Alex stopped her. "Oh hold on, Mr. Riesen is getting dressed. I'll see to it that he gets the rest of his breakfast, though." Felicia just nodded her head and left her back down the corridor.

Alex nearly devoured the whole first biscuit before Felicia even cleared the far third pillar. Alex knew that Clare didn't like these biscuits and that he already had a perfectly good apple in his room that would probably get tossed after just a few bites. He asked Felicia to get more food for her, knowing that Alex more often than his liking went hungry. _"He is the best,"_ Alex thought to herself. Alex slipped the apple in her pocket when she saw other guards in blue uniforms similar to her own approach the room.

"Alright night, Lannon?" a soldier named Martinez asked her. Alex's mouth was still full of food so she just sniffed in his direction and gave him a quick nod. Another soldier following Martinez closely behind, was an adorable shy soldier Alex really hadn't had a chance to get to meet yet. He looked around the hallway before croaking out an awkward observation about how shiny the floors were.

"Okay, we are here now. You can push off," Martinez said to Alex, then grabbing the shorter soldier by the foreman and dragging him closer. Martinez whispered to the new soldier, "Don't touch that, man," indicating the painting hanging on the wall above a small side table and Alex swallowed a light snort of laughter.

"She can't leave yet, Martinez," came a deep voice from the elevator doors. A handsome man named Hannigan, with buzzed hair, and a strong jaw line emerged and Alex recognized the soldier. Another member of the AA Corps much like herself, but this guy was both in charge of recruitment to the service as well as getting the soldiers acclimated to their duties once through basic training. The adorable, short boy in blue Alex didn't recognize must be new and is shadowing Martinez with Hannigan overseeing. "The Riesen Family personal assistant just informed me that you are to stay on with our detail to the church and back or until such a time comes that Clarence releases you from his presence."

Martinez laughed asking "What did you do?"

"Is that why she has to work tonight at the Jubilee?" the new soldier asked Martinez in – what he thought – was a whisper.

"Well she has a name, and it's Alex, and she is right here. What's yours? Handsy?" The new guy blushed as Hannigan looked on in confusion.

"No, I'm sorry. It is Wallace. And I was just asking because I see you with the Riesen family a lot. You seem to get an awful lot of hours. Are the bonuses that come with it all they're cracked up to be? If so, share the wealth."

Alex laughed at how this kid could be both equal parts shy and audacious. "Whatever, man," Alex said shoving it off. Clare then opened his door dressed and ready to go.

"I'd like to go to the church now" he said addressing his four guards. The four blues and Clarence piled into the modified three-door-deep hummer. The driver in the front, Hannigan in shotgun, and Martinez with Wallace sat in the back.

"Guess you're running behind the hummer, Lannon," Martinez jested at Alex.

"No it is alright. She can sit in the center next to me," Clare said with an authority that Alex thought Jared would be proud to hear. Regardless though, the three blues eyed her suspiciously and in a way that pissed off Clare. "Now are we going to get going or what?" Clare demanded, raising his voice to draw the attention away from Alex. Once in the car Wallace was asking all sorts of questions to the driver, Hannigan, and even the occasional one to Alex. Sitting on the same bench of seats Clare and Alex were able to play footsie and exchange quick, sweet glances that ended up in both of them smiling and then quickly looking away so as not to blow their cover.

They arrived at the church and saw many of the children were already there waiting outside of the building, excitement on their faces. Many of the kids were V-1's and Alex this that this might well be the highlight of their day, if not week, and it warmed her heart to know that Clare was the one giving those young boys and girls that joy. Clare and his blue guards went to the second level where a series of classrooms and small prayer rooms were setup for members of the congregation. Once Alex and Martinez did a sweep of the room, with Wallace watching and asking questions, they allowed the children who been waiting patiently outside of the classroom to come in and sit on a rug in a semi circle crowding Clare.

He was so great with the kids fielding their questions and looking back at them with an over excited look in his eyes that all children crave from adults when they are talking to them. That was another great thing about Clare that Alex so admired: he treated everyone like people and not like numbers. Alex knew that Clare would make a great father someday. It would be an honor to be the woman that gave that opportunity to Clare, as well, but she didn't dare let herself think those thoughts. Once the children had quieted down Clare settled on a story that was one of his favorites and began telling the story by putting on his best narrator's voice.

"Now, in the war the entire lower rank of angels joined Gabriel. But unlike archangels, Gabriel's lower angels, the dogs of Heaven, they were lesser spirits without a physical form. And they couldn't visit earth without a body, so they stole ours. Then came whispers of a chosen child who would grow up to lead mankind out of darkness, and this legend quickly spread, giving humanity hope, a reason to fight back, and the angels hated it. Now it's said that Michael acted alone, saved the child and hid the Savior in such a way that not even Michael knows where the baby is. We continue to hope- no – to believe that the chosen one, our savior, will someday reveal themselves to us."

Clare was a devout member of The Church of the Savior and enjoyed his faith, but through the years and numerous offers for him to become an official religious leader in the church, Clare stood his ground that he was a teacher. Alex knew firsthand how good of a teacher Clare was and knew that if she ever had a question or needing help understanding something she could always come to him. He managed to be able to both instruct and observe and Alex found it so refreshing. For Clare, leading these Sunday school lessons allowed him to combine both his love of teaching with his love of The Savior.

While Alex was never one much for religion she sure did enjoy hearing Clare tell a story, but even more, watching Clare do what he loved. Once the story was over the kids had many questions, which Clare did his best to answer. He never was too forceful with one answer over another because he knew he wasn't a preacher of the faith so all he could do was share what he believed, but that was another trait that Alex so admired in Clare Risen. So many other people in his position – or even in his V-designation – would use that power and abuse to force others to believe what he said, but Clare wasn't like that and Alex thought that showed true wisdom and power.

The children now sated, and Clare all wrung out of details from his tale sent the children on their way and stood up from his spot on the floor. Wallace, Martinez, and Hannigan had zoned out early on in the lesson and had been relaxing in the back of the room for the last half of the class. With the children filing out the three blues followed out into the hall watching the children walk down one of the staircases located at the far end of the hallway. Alex approached Clare and spoke up enough to keep up appearances with the other guards while speaking to Clare in her own little language through a series of smiles.

"Is there anything else I can help you with this morning, sir?" Alex announced.

"No, thank you. I'd like to be left alone in prayer." Clare cleared his throat grabbing the attention of Martinez and he continued. "If you could all wait downstairs that would be very helpful."

Martinez nodded and went back to answering whatever latest question Wallace has laid on him, with Hannigan close-by probably wondering how on earth this kid could still be talking. Alex brought up the rear and was on the top step when she looked over her should and Clare nodded at her, twitching his head to indicate the small prayer room and little bit further down the hall. Alex smiled in understanding and took another step or two before calling down to Martinez.

"Hey, you guys go ahead. I'll be there in a sec. I have to take a piss."

Martinez huffed out a 'whatever' in her general direction since Wallace was still in his face, ranting. She calmly took the stairs back up and once she cleared the corner, ran to the room Clare was in waiting for her. She looked around the room, but couldn't find him, when suddenly someone grabbed her by the waist and slammed the door shut shoving her up against it. Clare's face swam into focus and Alex relaxed against the door while tangling her legs in between Clare's. She ran a hand along Clare's shoulder while his hands found their way to her waist and she leaned in as if to kiss him, but then opted out at the last minute to nuzzle her hair into his neck.

"Oh, baby, you're killing me," Clare complained playfully and tightened his grip on her hips then pulling her lower half flush against his. Clare attacked Alex's lips immediately feeling at home in the pleasure she sent through him. He would trade almost anything if it meant he could be like this, this happy, with Alex for the rest of his life. Clare pulled back and smiled at the love of his life. "What time did you get in last night?"

"Sometime after three," Alex answered with a soft smile. The dimly lit room was much smaller than the classroom down the hall and Alex reveled in the intimacy it provided the couple. "I've missed you," she told him, leaning in to lightly kiss his lips.

"I've missed you too." Clare placed anther sweet kiss on Alex's lips. He knew that she could make out with the best of them and go on for hours, but he knew she appreciated the sweet, soft gestures as well. That was how he knew he was truly in love with her, on the night that Alex stopped their heavy petting session, near tears in her eyes, and all she wanted was a kiss. Just one, simple, soft kiss. A true showing of affection, rather than a romp of tongues leading to a later sexual adventure. To expose herself like that, Clare knew he wouldn't ever be the same. "Did you get my letter?"

Alex's face broke out in a full grin. "Yes I did. It was very sweet." She lifted her chin and Clare gave her another kiss.

"Then why didn't you wake me up? We could have talked." A kiss. "And other things." A kiss. "And then talked again." Another kiss. "And if that led to some fun, then so be it," Clare explained raising his eyebrows, and licking her lower lip this time to ask to take things a little further.

"Yeah. Yeah, I know. I know. Mmm – " Alex hummed as Clare nipped on her upper lip effectively pulling her lips apart just enough to slide his tongue in. Clare's hands rose from her hips, up to the sides of her torso, skipping over her neck – remembering her discomfort, before resting them on the sides of her face. "The thing is that I wanted to let you sleep – "

"Alex, what happened to your head?" Clare asked effectively cutting her off and pulling his head back from their kissing. He gently guided her face back and forth between his hands looking at the marks under the limited light. He couldn't see what he wanted so he stepped back, pulling Alex from the door so he could fully inspect her. There seemed to be some sort of rash on the side of her right eye, and there were minor scrapes along her cheeks, as well as a cut on her hairline that had clotted and deep, dark bags underneath her eyes. How could he only just know notice these things? "Alex, answer me."

"There were some eight-balls by the truck out at the casino."

"What?" Clare practically screamed. Alex shushed him and raised one of her hands to place it over Clare's so she could lean her cheek into his large, strong palm.

"Yeah, but your father told me not to say anything so you have to keep quiet," Alex warned.

"Alex, they attacked you!" Clare insisted, going back to inspect her and now running his hands down to her wrists and extending her arms as if he could see through her body armor to see further injury.

"It's what they do," Alex gently explained, pulling Clare back to her, missing his firm body against hers. "Look at me," Alex insisted widening her eyes so that he would meet them. "I'm really fine. Just look."

"I am looking at you. God!" Clare exclaimed in disbelief and near disgust.

Alex laughed to try and lift the spirit of the situation. "Thanks," she shot back at him with a wink. Clare not being able to stand her feeling bad about herself then forced their lips together to comfort her, whether she was kidding or not. He slipped his tongue into Alex's mouth and she responded immediately. Alex savored the taste of his warm, moist tongue gently massaging hers before going further in to taste her. He moaned at the sensation she was giving him and that was now running all throughout his body. Alex ran her hands along his back and pulled herself closer, but the stupid body armor was still in the way. She frantically gripped at him, kissing him harder, and sucking on his mouth, her mouth heavy and watering with her want for him. Trying hard as she might, though, she couldn't get close enough and honestly felt the fatigue hitting harder than ever now that her body was trying it's hardest to react to his, but just couldn't find the strength. Alex slowed the kisses down and gave him a tender kiss that she loved so much to receive and guided him over to a nearby bench so that she could sit down.

"You need to speak to your dad," Alex reminded.

"I know. I will. Today." Alex's face lit up and Clare thought to himself that if he could make Alex's face look like that every day then he would be doing something good with his life. "I've asked to see him. I'll tell him about us and I will get his permission to marry you. But you still have to act surprised when I do the knee and the ring thing."

"Well if you must know, I'm rather surprised you even know what knees are, "Alex joked one hand along Clare's thigh and the other lifting to jab at the air near her mouth, with her tongue poking her cheek on the other side. He laughed and she loved herself for it. "And besides, I already set you up with the ring thing." Alex pulled out a bit of wire wrapped into a tight circle that she kept on herself at all times. It was a string from the piano in the Riesen household that Alex loved. On one of the rare moments that they were alone and didn't have a care in the world, Clare was playing for her and Alex loved it so much she said that she wished she could take a piece of that moment with her forever. Clare then got up, walked around the piano, and opened up the lid to then cut out one of the strings within the body effectively ruining one of the keys. He wrapped it around Alex's finger and told her that now she could.

Clare fondly smiled at the memory and laughed once he saw Alex remove it and slip it onto her left handed ring finger. "I know. But I want to dote on you and this is one of the few ways I can do that." With a reinvigorated fervor he went in to kiss her when noticed Alex's light smile. The kind that didn't fully reach her eyes.

"What?" Clare asked, now taking his turn to nuzzle at her neck once she broke eye contact. She softly laughed and Clare then took his finger and lifted Alex's chin effectively making her look at his again. "Alex, he WILL say 'yes'. Trust me. I know him. You're my shield." Clare then took his hand and wrapped it around the back of Alex's head pulling her towards his chest and holding her there. He bent his head over to kiss at her hair and rock the two of them ever so slightly back and forth. "You took a knife for me."

"Yeah, remind me why I did that," Alex joked sniffing to keep her eyes from tearing up_. 'I must be really tired,' _she told herself, knowing that her eyes moistened when she they were fighting to stay open against exhaustion. Although whether it was true or not, Clare always expected the worse when he heard his beloved sniff and assumed she was crying, despite her best efforts to reassure him that she was tough and never cried a day in her life. Clare petted the top of Alex's head and rested his cheek against the spot he was kissing.

"There is no me without you."

Alex couldn't help but be overwhelmed by his words. She loved Clare. She knew that she did, and she wanted nothing more than just to believe him and take his words for what they were, but if she was being honest there was a part of herself in the furthest reaches of her mind telling herself that if it was true love it wouldn't be this hard. A part of her always believed in destiny and that if something was meant to happen, it would happen. But there was also a part of her that wanted to kick the other part's ass and remind her that if you want something in this world and that you think it worth having, then you fight for it no matter what. Right now the first part was pulling at her. "We are different, you and I," Alex reminded Clare.

"Yeah, and what? You think you know him better than I do?" Clare challenged right back. While frustrating at times, this was definitely an example of another trait in Alex, Clare loved so very much. Alex was strong. She could push him and stand her ground, but more importantly, she could take what she dished out. She wasn't like other people who shied away from the conflicts of life. Clare knew that he could stand up to her, call her out on her bullshit, and remind her that she wasn't always right, without her running away, playing the damsel in distress card, or worst of all start crying.

Alex was wracking her brain for the best way to explain what she wanted to say, but her mind was failing her. Exhaustion was hitting her harder than ever but she knew she couldn't leave things where they were. "No. No, I'm not saying that. And I'm sorry babe, but I know the system better than you." Clare let go of his hold on her and Alex sat up straight on the bench and looked at Clare, the love of her life, and felt her heart and mind rip at one another from the inside.

Alex's thoughts were ping ponging back and forth. _'If Clare and I were meant to be it wouldn't be so hard to see him and the system wouldn't be keeping us apart and we would just know.'_ But then Alex's next thought fought the previous one. _'Screw that and screw the system! I love Clare and he and I are going to be happy no matter what it takes.'_ Alex's mind was raging a terrible war and Clare wasn't even aware of it. _'Do I give up on my love?'_ Alex asked herself or, _'Do I give up on my life?'_ Despite it all, one clear thought Alex kept coming back to was, _'God damnit I am so fucking tired!'_ Alex may not have even been aware of it at the time but her next choice of words would set her up for one wild change in her life that she would never be able to come back from.

"Clare?" Alex asked. "I have something to tell you." Clare looked at her while Alex went back and forth one last time. _'Believe in destiny or say screw it all?'_ And the thought that echoed through Alex's mind, clearer than crystal was: '_Screw it!'_

"Yeah?" Clare answered back, tentatively.

"Clare, the truck is ready."

"What?'

"You head me right. That was why I was outside of the city yesterday. Checking the truck to make sure it was equipped for the trip. Clare, baby, just listen to me for a second. We have enough supplies to easily make it to Delphi. Clare, they don't have numbers there. Everyone is equal. We could start and new life. We could start a family. But it has got to be tonight. The city will be busy with the Jubilee and you could slip out. Besides, what better birthday wish could you grant me?"

Clare's head was spinning. Of all of the things he was expecting Alex to say that definitely wasn't one of them. "Wh- Wh- Wait, what?"

"Yeah. Come on! Tonight. Let's go! I love you." And Alex leaned in and sealed a kiss onto Clare's mouth full of promise and love. "And I want to be with you. And I know, now, that this is the only way."

"But, Alex, it won't come to that. He will say yes." Clare looked down into the eyes of the love of his life and saw her crumbling bit by bit. He could practically hear her brain cranking away inside that beautiful head of hers. "But…" and there was the relief that Clare was so desperate for. "If he doesn't come around, wherever you go, I follow. That much has been evident since I met you. We are meant to be together and I know that we will make this work."

Alex thought about and at first forced a smile onto her face when she realized it wasn't fair of her to ask Clare what she just did, but the way he handled it made her face break out in a true and rather relived looking smile. "There it is!" Clare said. "That is the smile I am looking for." Clare stood up and pulled Alex with him. He kissed her in that way that she loved and cradled her face in his hands. "I love you."

"And I love you."

"You must be so tired, babe. Come on. You need sleep," Clare insisted and with that the couple opened the door from the prayer room and walked out into the hallway. There, seemingly, waiting in the corridor they saw a young woman who watched them exit the small, confined quarters with a look of confusion, and quite a bit of disgust on her face. Alex then found herself face to face with none other than Willa Whele.


End file.
